Project Mirage Launches Dune Context-Aware Keypad Designed For MacBook

InnovationConsumer TechProject Mirage Launches Dune Context-Aware Keypad Designed For MacBookByMark Sparrow,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Technology journalist specializing in audio, computing and Apple Macs.Follow AuthorJun 08, 2026, 06:00am EDTThe new Dune is a physical interface with three programmable and context-aware keys for automating almost any command.PROJECT MIRAGESan Franciso and Bangalore-based Project Mirage has announced the launch of Dune, a new context-aware keypad that’s designed to plug into a MacBook and provide three programmable buttons whose actions change depending on the app running in the foreground.So why would anyone want such a gadget? Well, if you’ve ever wished you could assign custom shortcuts to a MacBook’s keys, to speed up certain functions, Dune could be the answer. Most of the key combinations on a MacBook are already taken up by macOS functions or the apps running, which leaves very few options for customizing the keyboard further. That’s where Dune comes in. Dune slots into one of the USB-C ports on the left side of a MacBook and can be used to turn repetitive, multi-step actions into a single button press. By combining the Dune hardware with intelligent software, the keypad provides context-aware commands for automating workflows. It offers tactile control, customizable triggers and agentic workflows from a single interface.Keyboards Are Last Century “QWERTY keyboards were designed over a hundred years ago, for the purpose of capturing text, at a time when multitasking wasn’t a concept,” says Apoorv Shankar, founder and CEO of Project Mirage. “And while computing power and software have constantly evolved, the QWERTY keyboard design has barely changed. The Dune device has three keys with each key taking on a new function or shortcut depending on the software that's running on the host Mac.PROJECT MIRAGEMORE FOR YOU“But with the rapid advances in AI over the last f...